LAX, 1961

The photos of the LAX parking lots from the 1970s (though some of you believe they were actually taken in the late 1960s) that we featured last month proved popular, so we went through the USC Digital Library photo archives to look for more and came across this pairof shots, taken in November 1961. We see the familiar control tower and parabolic arches. What else do you see here?

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autobug2says:

April 23, 2012 12:18 pm

Well, in the top photo (I’ll only ID the main row showing):
Left to right, we have a (then) brand-new `62 T-Bird coupe, `57 Chrysler Saratoga 4dr hardtop, `61 Ford Fairlane sedan, `60 Valiant sedan, either a `59 or `60 Rambler American Sedan, and `60 Pontiac Catalina coupe. In the second photo, I see a `51-`52 Caddy sedan, another `59-`60 Rambler American and a `60 Chevy Biscayne. In front of the 60 Chevy is a `56 Cadillac Eldorado, judging by the upper stainless door sill plate I spot. And here I thought those parabolic arches were built way after `61–does anyone know when LAX got that structure?

wolfgangsays:

April 23, 2012 12:47 pm

Art Finksays:

April 23, 2012 4:27 pm

Hi Wolf,
I zoomed in on the Ranchero right away, where I agree with you. I completely missed the roof of the white 2 Dr. Just not enough showing to make a positive ID, though. But certainly could be…….;o}

rezmansays:

April 23, 2012 1:34 pm

Art Finksays:

April 23, 2012 4:23 pm

Hi Rez,
I kind of doubt that it’s a Small Bird. The Small Bird roofs are a little flatter and the original converts had a stainless steel edge piece where the top met the windshield. Just My Two Cents…….

rezmansays:

April 23, 2012 5:01 pm

Art Finksays:

April 23, 2012 7:03 pm

Hi Rez,
OMG, I must apologize to you, I was looking at a different car. You are absolutely correct. She’s a 56 Tbird, I can see the porthole in the hardtop and the continental kit. 56 was the only year with a conny-kit and 55 didn’t have porthole hardtops (from the factory, that is). The old eyes aren’t what they use to be…Art